United Nations Development Programme in the Arab States

International Day of Democracy

15 Sep 2012

"Democracy Education"

The subject of this year's theme -- democracy education -- is essential for the long-term success of democracy. It is only with educated citizens that a sustainable culture of democracy can emerge. Read the UN Secretary-General's Message for 2012.

Democratic governance is a cornerstone of UNDP's work, instrumental to empowering nations and communities in 177 countries and territories around the world. In 2011, UNDP helped more than 130 countries and devoted US$1.5 billion to democratic governance, making it one of the world's largest providers of democratic governance assistance.

In Somalia, the UNDP-supported Somaliland women’s Law Association provided over 1,000 people access to legal aid in 2011. As a result, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence received critical legal support and, in many cases, a conviction. more

Our stories

Message from Helen Clark

"A functioning democracy needs effective institutions but it also relies on people being aware of both their rights and their responsibilities. It requires those to be respected and upheld. It requires accountable government."

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Empowering Women for Stronger Political Parties

This guidebook identifies targeted interventions for promoting the stronger presence and influence of women in political parties as well as advancing gender equality issues in party policies and platforms.